Morning Rituals – a good way to start your day

Because it is the new year, there have been many discussions on social media about resolutions, rituals, ways to track time and so on. I started keeping a bullet journal as a way to keep track of projects, to do lists, chores and other things I don’t want to forget. However, it is my morning ritual that gives me my routine that starts my day.  

Julia Cameron, as many of you know, wrote “The Artist’s Way.” I filled up three marble composition books with my three pages a day and as a visual artist, it didn’t feel right to me. But I did them for the prescribed amount of time and I did the exercises in the book. All the while, I asked myself, “why am I doing this this?  I am not a writer.”  I actually resented it at first, because I wanted to do art before breakfast, not write.  Then I began to understand how it adds value by adding a consistent routine and a creative kickstart to my day.

“The Artist’s Way” was recommended by Carla Sonheim, who’s class I was taking on-line a while back, and she was the one that a recommended a shorter version of the morning pages routine.  She also suggested an “idea” column and a space for quick art.  

At first, I was writing in marble composition books, but I wanted my morning ritual all in one book.  I thought that writing Carla’s way and doing the composition book was redundant, so I switched over to an extra large, blank Moleskine, that I purchased at Barnes & Noble.  I combined everything into one book as a two page spread.

(Fabriano also has a 9×12 blank soft cover book I love but they are not easy to find.)

You can use any blank 9×12 format.  I am picky about my paper and since I also create art with my morning ritual, I want something that can hold up to various media.  The blank Moleskine is just fine for this.

 In the photo below, you can see how I divide up the two page spread.  I write on the left page and the large box at the top of the right page.  I write small so I can write about the same as a standard composition book.  You can see from the post it notes where I put things:

-The tiny box on the left page is to track the daily forecast and the sunrise and sunset

  – the list of 10 ideas goes in the long column on the right page

– the first small box below the idea list is my gratitude box and I write one thing every day that I am grateful for. 

 The middle box is for my quote of the day which I sometimes illustrate…

– the third, tiny box is my affirmation for the day or something personal to work on

– the large box on the right page is to create art


I get up early to do my morning pages. I date them, in the small box on the left page, I put the forecast and/or the weather at that moment.  I write as my coffee is boiling and perking on the stove.  I write what I am grateful for that day.  I look up a quote and write it in the quote box (sometimes I illustrate it in the large art box).  Then I write and affirmation like “I am brave” or something that I need reaffirm for myself. 

Then I try to think up 10 creative ideas and I create art in the large box on the right page.

I don’t do this anymore, but in order to create this routine, I started by doing it as 30 day chunks.  At the top of the left page I used to write the day # of 30.   Why? Because I feel you have more of a chance to be successful doing something for 30 days than you do for 90 or 100.  That’s something I noticed that artist Michael Nobbs speaks about, breaking things into smaller chunks. You do get more done if you set smaller time goals. You also have a sense of accomplishment, which is good for your esteem, which leads to more successful batches of goals. At least, that’s my opinion.

I apologize for not showing an actual finished page, but what I write is for my eyes only.  Sometimes it is so sloppy that I can’t read it, but that’s intentional if I am venting about something.  I find this routine has done a lot for reducing my stress and giving me a morning ritual that forces me to my desk first thing in the morning.  I do not turn on the TV or radio….I just brush my teeth, pop on a pot of coffee and sit down to write.  Then I begin my day….

Feel free to post any questions and I will do my best to answer them.

Sktchy #20

What can be more American than Campbell’s Tomato soup?  It’s Inauguration Day and let’s hope the future is positive, full of hope and blessed for all of America.

Grab some tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich and enjoy!

(This was sketched “free hand” using colored pencil, towbow markers and ink in a homemade sketchbook made using Strathmore 400 series grey toned paper)

Sktchy #18 – National Winnie the Pooh Day

Today is National Winnie the Pooh Day. E H Shepard is the illustrator who brought AA Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh” stories to life with his whimsical illustrations of the bear and his friends. To commemorate both gentlemen, here is my version leaning more toward the Shepard version and less towards the Disney version.  The photo was inspired by a Sktchy submission.